WHAT IS IT' An engineering institute. WHO’S THE BOSS' Prof. D. Jawahar is the director. HOW CHEAP IS IT' Around Rs 48,000 per annum. HOW ABOUT JOBS' The institute claims to have had the highest and best placements in Bangalore University since 2002.WHERE TO STAY' There are eight hostels, separate for boys and girls. WHERE IS IT' 100 Feet Ring Road, Banashankari III Stage, Bangalore-560085. website www.pes.edu. Email: [email protected] Phone: 080-26721983; 26720886

The most striking feature about Bangalore-based engineering college, the People's Education Society Institute of Technology (PESIT) is its good looks. With its glass-fronted buildings and hi-tech facilities, the institute's campus, located on the outskirts of the city, could pass off as a swanky technology park.

PESIT was established in 1972. Today, it ranks number two among Karnataka's engineering colleges, the number one being R.V. College of Engineering. The institute claims to be South East Asia's first ISO 9002 certified engineering college. 'PESIT is ranked A/A+ by Infosys, TCS and Wipro, based on its performance, placements and processes,' says Professor D. Jawahar, director of the institute.

Choice of engineering subjects offered at PESIT are, however, limited. The reason, according to institute officials, is that they offer only those subjects that have high potential in the professional world.

PESIT offers five branches of engineering: mechanical, computer science, information science, electronics and communication, telecommunication and the recently introduced biotechnology. About 600 students are admitted to the institute every year. Admissions are conducted through the Combined Entrance Test. The faculty comprises teachers with both academic and industry background.

The institute scores on the infrastructure front. There is a sprawling library and reading room space, which is open to students round the clock. The labs are equipped with all modern gadgetry. There are about 1,000 computers spread across the institute, which come with 24-hour Internet facility.

But PESIT does not make dull Jacks out of its students. A premium is placed on sports. There is an indoor and outdoor basketball court, three indoor badminton and table tennis courts, a mini soccer filed, a volleyball and tennis court, a gym and a newly- constructed cricket stadium. 'Sports is encouraged at PESIT. Students are granted special time out from classes if they represent the institute in any sport,' says Vishal Dalmia, a final year student of information science.

The institute has three annual national level festivals' Aatmatrisha, Manit, Celesta. The college also has five rock band groups. Says Jawahar, 'Community development programmes like planting trees, providing free medical treatment and vocational training to the needy is a focus area.' Jawahar says the institute's USP is its 360 degree approach to education.

'We have a process like Total Student Development Programme, Campus Wide Quality Improvement Programme and Gifted Students Development Programme. These programmes ensure complete academic as well as every other development of our students,' says Jawahar.

Ask any student, and they would say that the institute's placement credentials are its biggest USP. 'PESIT has great brand value in the job market. Companies like Infosys Technologies, Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services and HCL Perot Systems are regulars at our campus placement,' says Dalmia. This year, students are expecting bigger names like Lucent Technologies and Honeywell to come head-hunting at PESIT.

The first time I visited PESIT, I felt like I had reached a resort. The institute has a rolling campus located on the outskirts of the city. The campus made studying at PESIT fun. College life always felt like one big holiday' of course, with a lot of assignments, projects and lab work thrown in. PESIT was not a highly-rated institute when I joined it in 1992. It was still creating a niche for itself. A lot of changes happened during our time ' the semester scheme and campus recruitment started. Our professors encouraged cross-class discussions among students in all branches of engineering. This helped us know a little about what was happening in every field of engineering and also forge lasting friendships. Most of us are still in touch with each other. What I liked best about the institute was that our professors always taught us to be the best in whatever career we pursued.